Should I Just Sell Them and Buy an Electric Wheelchair ?

[RedDog7]

After a number of years I've finally managed to gather 2xP1's, 2xp2's, 2xP3's and a MPP. All but the MPP were purchased with known problems and as cheap as chips. A surprise back pay from my war service pension and repayment of an outstanding debt allowed the once in a lifetime purchase of the MPP.

I spent many hours tracking down the parts I needed and many more hours repairing the Phantoms. My family clubbed together and gave me the DJI Halo Goggles for Christmas and an Apple tablet for my birthday.

Now I have 7 DJI craft ready to fly, great news, *BUT*

I just paid DJI for another 12 months Care Package and the Mavic hasn't even lifted off and neither have any of the Phantoms. Apart from spending 18 weeks in hospital in the past 12 months, I'm too bloody scared to fly them. The thought of so much money going aloft and numerous stories of Mavics and Phantoms hitting the deck gives me goose bumps. How do I tell my wife "I just lost the Mavic, it flew away" or "that Phantom I spent so much time and money on crashed" One other problem is my abilities have lessened dramatically over the past year and I find the launching procedure for the Mavic too darned complicated. eg. Why should I need to have the system make a phonecall via a mobile phone? I don't have one and being "Mobile" is something I'm definitely not.

I'd love to find someone local who also flies, who could get me airborne, but living in a very small country town I'm the only Mavic or Phantom owner. We do have a Fire Chief who owns a commercial craft, but he's not exactly friendly toward quad flyers. I've advertised for a local DJI flier, but the only answer was from someone 500Km away. A 1,000km round trip put him off :-(

So be honest, Should I just walk away and sell them all, or wait for someone with more courage to turn up?

 

[Deleted member 62848]

After a number of years I've finally managed to gather 2xP1's, 2xp2's, 2xP3's and a MPP. All but the MPP were purchased with known problems and as cheap as chips. A surprise back pay from my war service pension and repayment of an outstanding debt allowed the once in a lifetime purchase of the MPP.

I spent many hours tracking down the parts I needed and many more hours repairing the Phantoms. My family clubbed together and gave me the DJI Halo Goggles for Christmas and an Apple tablet for my birthday.

Now I have 7 DJI craft ready to fly, great news, *BUT*

I just paid DJI for another 12 months Care Package and the Mavic hasn't even lifted off and neither have any of the Phantoms. Apart from spending 18 weeks in hospital in the past 12 months, I'm too bloody scared to fly them. The thought of so much money going aloft and numerous stories of Mavics and Phantoms hitting the deck gives me goose bumps. How do I tell my wife "I just lost the Mavic, it flew away" or "that Phantom I spent so much time and money on crashed" One other problem is my abilities have lessened dramatically over the past year and I find the launching procedure for the Mavic too darned complicated. eg. Why should I need to have the system make a phonecall via a mobile phone? I don't have one and being "Mobile" is something I'm definitely not.

I'd love to find someone local who also flies, who could get me airborne, but living in a very small country town I'm the only Mavic or Phantom owner. We do have a Fire Chief who owns a commercial craft, but he's not exactly friendly toward quad flyers. I've advertised for a local DJI flier, but the only answer was from someone 500Km away. A 1,000km round trip put him off :-(

So be honest, Should I just walk away and sell them all, or wait for someone with more courage to turn up?

Well where to start,,save the wheelchair for later,you've been in the wars in hospital and real war by the sound of it,you got heaps of courage,,take your time ,only need to take one to the park to fly,make yourself a checklist so nothing gets missed,check your Return to home height settings depending on objects around you and enjoy,,the phantoms do have a simulater mode if you want some practice first

 

[msinger]

I'd love to find someone local who also flies, who could get me airborne, but living in a very small country town I'm the only Mavic or Phantom owner

Where do you live?

 

[Capt KO]

If you could convince yourself that the P1’s and P2’s are disposable toys, they are good practice drones. You just need to get comfortable using the control sticks on the remotes. They are all similar enough to make you proficient enough to fly your more valuable P3’s. Then the Mavic, which has the Care package. I know you love your machines, with the work you’ve done to them, but they want and need to FLY! Mine all have personalities that are fun at times and scary at others. You might have a crash, but it makes you a better pilot. Learn on your toys and you will be a very good Phantom and Mavic pilot. Go fly, have fun, find a kid to learn with you. You will Love it!

PS: don’t worry about flyaways, you may have heard of them, but they are rare. Just set your return to home values.

 

[RedDog7]

Thank you all for your support. I'm not too sure about being "courageous", in fact I feel exactly the opposite. I've flown literally thousands of times, in a simulation. RealFlight 7, Phoenix 5.5, Reflex XTR2, Aerofly RC7 and a few lesser known sims for quadcopters. In fact I flew almost every day when I was confined to bed. Prior to that I was flying RC planes at a local farm not far from home. That's when my fascination with quadcopters began. I was told by the landowner who was also an RC flyer I wasn't allowed to bring a quad anywhere near his property, although I was told some months later he was flying them himself. I left a number of messages for him, but he appears to have left town.

There is a great place to fly at the end of my street. It's a massive parcel of land containing our man made lake (currently as dry as a bone) A Trotting track/showground, a Football/Cricket oval and an empty block alongside the highway through town. I have flown there just the once, much to the fascination of a number of locals. Just about all of it could be classed as unused on most days of the week and a call to our local council seeking permission to fly there when it was empty went unanswered. I dream of flying all over it using FPV.

I've just about made up my mind to rekindle my hobby once I recover from my latest 9 weeks in hospital. I only got home 4 days ago and I'm as weak as a used 10 day old teabag. All thanks to Vietnam, Monsanto and Agent Orange. As soon as I get back some strength and stop feeling sorry for myself, I'll be found at the end of my street flying. If I have it all figured out, I'll post a video, hopefully not of some angry council representative having me arrested.

 

[Capt KO]

Fly anywhere you want that the app will let you. Just not over people or highways. If anybody questions you about why you’re there or what you’re doing, use your age, like I do. Mumble. At worst they will ask you to go home. ??

 

[KachemakDiver]

My opinion,,,You Can Do It!!!
And many thanks for your Service ?

 

[RedDog7]

Actually, I'm wondering if DJI will let me fly anywhere nearby. My wife reminded me that our local and very small hospital now has a CareFlight heli landing pad for picking up patients needing city style treatment. It's within 2 Km of the field and the heli usually flies right over the field and our house on it's approach. Mind you, it may not happen for months at a time, but a bad MVA or serious farm accident will definitely trigger a flight. If I use the field there are no people, homes or businesses to fly over and I know not to do that anyway. There is a small business nearby which uses a large WiFi amplifier and it knocks any RC craft for six flying within 200 meters, so that will keep me well away from him and the highway. Perhaps the new helipad explains why the RC farmer packed up and moved. he'd be a similar distance from it as myself.

Believe me I'm not trying to make excuses, but if I am blocked from flying, I honestly can't think of anywhere else I could fly. Any area outside town is farming land and getting permission from a land owner is impossible with today's liability and insurance laws. Yes we've even had people decapitated by crop dusters. Few farmers want a 70 year old, physically unfit quad pilot roaming his back blocks.

I live in Narrabri, NSW, Australia. Here's a Google Map Idea of where things are. I've hidden home, just in case the wrong person sees it. My home is extremely well protected even by city standards.

Please don't thank me for my "service" I volunteered for nine years service, as did 4 generations before me. You're going to Vietnam I was told, so off I went, 4 times in a war zone and that classed me as a returned serviceman. Whilst Monsanto, American and Australian Governments knew Agent Orange and Agent Blue were poisonous, nobody bothered to tell any poor bugger who had to put up with it. I was given a Gold Card (Free medical for life) The American Government paid our Government 12 million for compensation and that was it. The fact that many of our fellow servicemen have died from various digestive type cancers and the remainder can expect much shorter lifespans is what makes me angry. But I did volunteer, so silly fool me. Even sillier, I'd probably do it again, but this isn't the forum for such matters, so I'll shut TH up.

Now I'll check to see if CASA has zoned everything a "No Fly" zone.

 

[RedDog7]

Fly anywhere you want that the app will let you. Just not over people or highways. If anybody questions you about why you’re there or what you’re doing, use your age, like I do. Mumble. At worst they will ask you to go home. ??

I'll have to remember that, mumble. I already thought of playing deaf. No need to plead blindness, there are no signs saying "Don't Fly or else". I'll simply wear my DJI Halo. Although I've been told to make sure I have my spotter (wife) keep an eye on the equipment. It seems a few flyers have removed their goggles and found someone has removed their belongings. It's dangerous being a 70 year old mumbling flyer.

 

[RedDog7]

Hey, good news and it's time I had some. I can fly at the field at the end of my street. It is subject to various rules, but flying in daylight hours is OK. The helis which come and go are rather large and at low altitude that big throb of it's blades gives plenty of warning to get out of the sky.

I'm just wondering if DJI has similar rules or if they simply lock me out regardless. Thankfully Australia, especially in the bush, is much more relaxed than I've heard America is. So far no licencing or permits to fly. Just sensible rules which are easy for anyone sensible to follow. Unfortunately we do have morons intent on ruining good things, but positive publicity such as, "Quadcopter rescues two boys washed out to sea" on the front page of National Newspapers. Plus successful rescues of lost people lessens the impact of any bad publicity. If only people would remember the good things and not the bad. :-(

After checking CASA's no fly zones I noticed our model aircraft landing strip is in both the local airport's zone, plus the hospital's landing pad. You may ask why I don't use it, it's locked up and the keys are held by a town 200Km round trip away. To get them back I have to form a club which after being kicked out of the community radio station I was responsible for, plus cost me $22,000, I'm somewhat averse to having anything to do with another committee.

Give me a week or two to get mobile again and I'll be flying close to home and with the Phantom 1s and 2s, then the 3s and finally the Mavic. Maybe someone can help me here. I have a Phantom 2 Gimbal and camera which refuses to operate. When I add power I can hear a very faint sound (almost like an old telephone) from inside the gimbal. Nothing else happens, no movement or other noises. It looks to be in perfect condition, nothing bent or loose. Is it Gimbal or controller? I haven't a clue. The other P2 doesn't have a gimbal I can swap over. The ex owner told me it had "A Video Problem" HaHa! :-(

 

[Deleted member 120647]

In your shoes I'd fly the phantoms first and when I built my confidence up maybe fly the MPP but if the set-up etc. for that latter is physically not possible for you the phantoms are fine drones.

I am new to this stuff and had all sorts of concerns and ideas for training myself, I went so far as buying toy drones to learn to crash. The P3adv I bought darn near flies itself, and the toy drones were to some extent a waste of money, though they can be fun.
What hair raising experiences I have had with the phantom are probably due to pilot error and my misunderstanding how the drone will behave in any given situation.

I found that the best training was to try and fly your way through the manual, 'replicating' a chosen situation from the manual at low altitude and in a wide open field etc..
e.g.
loss of contoller signal = switch the contoller off and see what it does, the controller switches quite quickly and n my case quickly enough to regain control before the drone actually came in to land.
Fly the drone into the battery low voltages etc., repeat or compare with what happens when the drone is within 20m of the home point etc. etc.
I also tended to experiment at night when the likely hood of people being about for me to 'endanger' is further reduced.
Also check how your batteries behave whilst using them right the way through their entire voltage range. I have a few batteries and one or two I have never flown below 50 ish % (they are newish to me 2nd hands). I happened to be by flying one the other day, about 10 ft away from me, in my garden and it went below 50%, at some ridiculous figure in the 40%'s it suddenly gave a critical battery voltage warning and started to land. This wasn't a problem because of where it was but had it been somewhere else I'd have been right up the creek

 

[Harleydude]

After a number of years I've finally managed to gather 2xP1's, 2xp2's, 2xP3's and a MPP. All but the MPP were purchased with known problems and as cheap as chips. A surprise back pay from my war service pension and repayment of an outstanding debt allowed the once in a lifetime purchase of the MPP.

I spent many hours tracking down the parts I needed and many more hours repairing the Phantoms. My family clubbed together and gave me the DJI Halo Goggles for Christmas and an Apple tablet for my birthday.

Now I have 7 DJI craft ready to fly, great news, *BUT*

I just paid DJI for another 12 months Care Package and the Mavic hasn't even lifted off and neither have any of the Phantoms. Apart from spending 18 weeks in hospital in the past 12 months, I'm too bloody scared to fly them. The thought of so much money going aloft and numerous stories of Mavics and Phantoms hitting the deck gives me goose bumps. How do I tell my wife "I just lost the Mavic, it flew away" or "that Phantom I spent so much time and money on crashed" One other problem is my abilities have lessened dramatically over the past year and I find the launching procedure for the Mavic too darned complicated. eg. Why should I need to have the system make a phonecall via a mobile phone? I don't have one and being "Mobile" is something I'm definitely not.

I'd love to find someone local who also flies, who could get me airborne, but living in a very small country town I'm the only Mavic or Phantom owner. We do have a Fire Chief who owns a commercial craft, but he's not exactly friendly toward quad flyers. I've advertised for a local DJI flier, but the only answer was from someone 500Km away. A 1,000km round trip put him off :-(

So be honest, Should I just walk away and sell them all, or wait for someone with more courage to turn up?

Sell them on eBay. eBay is a WORLD market, which will insure you not only get the maximum dollar value, but that they will go somewhere wanted. Yes, it's a PITA to pack them up nicely and ship them, but it's a better alternative to having them sit there and rot. You spent a lot of time, love and energy getting them going. Now you can divert that same energy into packing, marketing and shipping them via eBay.

Good luck!

D

 

[Jean Tessmer Maui Hawaii]

There may be AMA members in your area. I was surprised we had a club here on Maui at an old Naval airstrip. The fellows there were extremely nice and helpful. They fly RC planes and drones. You can contact the AMA at:
Academy of Model Aeronautics
Marketing Department
5161 E. Memorial Drive
Muncie IN 47302

What is the AMA? | Academy of Model Aeronautics

www.modelaircraft.org

Telephone 1-765-287-1256

The also provide excellent liability insurance for about $70.00 per year. There may be someone who is a member living near to you. I hope so. Fly Safe and have fun!

 

[Jean Tessmer Maui Hawaii]

I hope there is some sort of model aircraft flying club in Narrabri, NSW, Australia, or members you can contact living close to you.

 

[ArmyVet]

Thank You Sir for your Service!

I had the pleasure of meeting several Australian SAS Army Mates while in Fort Lewis, Washington. They were there to train with our "snake eaters". What a great bunch of guys. They adopted me and took me along on several adventures of several kinds...........Bars mostly haha.

I feel for your predicament and maybe we can find some help. I will send you a message. I know of several guys in Australia who fly drones. I know it is a huge country. But you never know.

Bill

 

[grego122]

Go fly anybody that has weathered as many storms as you have can handle the loss of a drone!
If that ever happens, you will love FPV it will give you the feeling of being free as a bird go for it!

 

[skymonkey]

Reading between the lines it sounds like you know what you have to do. It’s a hard decision most of us will be fortunate enough if we are able to get to that point. Your confidence, skills, and health are, as you say, telling you to hang it up while your ahead. Not trying to discourage you in the least but it sounds like keeping on flying has more negatives than positives, not to mention that it sounds like you will not enjoy it. It’s always best to enjoy living and enjoy what you are doing. Be safe and make the best choice.

 

[RedDog7]

Wow! that's some deep sickology skymonkey. Thankfully little of it true. The last thing I WANT to do is give up. My main problem is, apart from physical, is technology, more so "today's technology" I spent many years designing and building quadcopters. Building RC planes, helicopters, cars, trucks and boats. I've studied for and passed the Amateur Radio COP. Worked on the F15 low level flight and missile control black boxes and designed and built an FM radio Station. BUT:

After many years of being idle, mainly from being bed bound or hospitalized, I've slowly lost track of technology. I've watched videos on how to launch the Mavic and Phantom, but if I had to do either right now I'd fail miserably, I think maybe memory retention may be part of the problem. The thought of doing it wrong scares me. I know that if I can get airborne a couple of times I'll be OK, as long as I keep at it. I'm not sure if this happens to others, nobody I know flies anything. Everyone I knew who flew planes came to visit me once when I was first ill and I never saw them again. It was rather obvious they were extremely uncomfortable during that one and only visit. Oh hang on, I'm wrong, during one of my stays in hospital, a couple of them did pay me a visit at home and told my wife I said it was OK if they picked up some spare parts. I didn't and ended up losing a large box of RC parts. Needless to say, they won't be back.

So sorry, you're clearly not reading between the right lines. Giving up isn't something I've done and hopefully I'm not starting to give up any time soon. The wheelchair part was just meant in fun. I'll end up flying, sooner or later. Hopefully with someone showing me how it's done, but failing that, whenever I get the courage to give it a go.

 

[lasersbee]

If you need to ask the question..... Then I would say yes.

Jerry

 

[RedDog7]

So what you're saying is, No matter what question is asked the answer you always give is "YES"
Is it Easter tomorrow? Yes.
Will it be dark at 10am? Yes.
Does DJI make Rolls Royce cars? Yes.

Rather weird American logic I think.